Vol. 497 No. 6
117 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding local authorities and vocational education committees making good the shortfall in third level maintenance grants being suffered by Irish students studying in Britain due to the exchange rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25854/98]
In 1996, the student support schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to undergraduate students pursuing approved third level courses in other EU member states. Prior to this, grants were only payable to students who were pursuing approved courses in the Republic and Northern Ireland. In this context and following discussions with the local authorities regarding the necessary administrative arrangements, it was agreed that students pursuing approved courses in other EU member states, including Northern Ireland, would be paid the value of the grant in the currency of the country in which they were studying and that the value of the maintenance grant to be paid in all circumstances would be the Irish value converted to the currency of the country in which the student is pursuing his-her course. Previously, students studying in Northern Ireland were paid the amount of the grant in sterling, without reference to exchange rates. Those students studying in Northern Ireland who were assessed under the student support schemes prior to 1996 continue to receive their grants in sterling, without reference to exchange rates. Students who commenced their studies from 1996 are paid under the revised arrangements.
While I appreciate that the current exchange rates do not favour grantholders who are studying in Britain or Northern Ireland, I believe that these arrangements are equitable and efficient.
There is no provision within the student support schemes for the local authorities or vocational education committees to supplement the grant payable to students studying in Britain. Indeed such a supplement could not be made without giving rise to an anomalous inequity visà-vis students studying elsewhere in the EU.
